VIDEO: Giant barge breaks loose in Seattle

Screenshot from video posted on X shows giant barge as it makes contact

A giant barge, identified in media reports as operated by Alaska Marine Lines, broke loose in Seattle yesterday afternoon and made contact with Pier 66, despite efforts by a King County Water Taxi, the Doc Maynard, to intercept it. The incident was caught on some spectacular video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Jackson Teal.

U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest was notified just before 1:30 p.m. of a barge that drifted from Terminal 18 at the Port of Seattle toward Pier 66 in Elliott Bay. The Coast Guard tweeted that three tug boats regained control of the barge and placed it in tow.

Before the giant barge, which was loaded with containers, made contact with Pier 66, local media report, Captain Dan Krehbiel and the crew of the Doc Maynard had noted that the barge was headed across Elliott Bay toward the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium. Captain Krehbiel managed to use the water taxi’s bow to direct the barge north and it subsequently made contact near Pier 66.

The Port of Seattle tweeted: “After a barge came loose and made contact with Pier 66, we will be conducting an assessment of any damage. There were no injuries or impact to our maritime operations. Everything is back to normal.”